Becoming Mom Strong

Have you ever looked into the faces of the people who call you "mom" and wondered what in the world you got yourself into?
If you're like many Christian moms today, you've been reading the headlines and watching the rapid-fire changes in our culture with frustration and fear. Let's face it: Moms today are facing questions that previous generations didn't even see coming, and even our right to determine what is best for our own children is under fire. Popular speaker and blogger Heidi St. John (The Busy Mom) believes that today's mothers need a special kind of strength. We need to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We dare not rely on human strength for the battles we're facing right now. In Becoming MomStrong, Heidi has a powerful message just for you--the mom in the midst of it all. Through encouragement, practical prayer points, and authentic "me-too" moments, Heidi equips you for a job that only you can do: to train your children to hear God's voice and to walk in truth no matter where our culture is heading. God wants to use this generation of mothers to do something extraordinary:
To be strong in the Lord
To know who you are in Christ, and
To impart that strength to your kids.
In other words, He wants you to be MomStrong! So if you're feeling tired or inadequate today, get ready to find new strength as you join Heidi St. John in Becoming MomStrong.

My thoughts: I was just talking to my sister about the different pressures we face in this day and age, with social media and the times dictating more to us about how a parent should be, so this book came at an excellent time! I love the honesty that Heidi writes with to share her experiences as a mother. This book is incredibly encouraging, which is exactly what I needed right now! This is an excellent book from Moms in all stages, whether you have real young children, mostly grown kids, or somewhere in between! I look forward to checking out the study group guide that goes along with this book.
I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

Mommy Needs a Raise

Goodbye, Board Room and Legal Briefs--Hello, Dimples, Diapers, and Destruction
Women know that raising children will be different from climbing the corporate ladder. But nothing can truly prepare them for the mind-muddling world of motherhood. It doesn't take long for a new mom to question whether her tyrannical, diapered boss really understands her value to the organization. Because honestly? She's not always sure herself.
With her signature wit, lawyer-turned-full-time-mommy Sarah Parshall Perry says what all new moms are thinking when they trade annual reports for homework help and yoga pants. Perry invites moms to laugh alongside her amidst the "Are you kidding me?!" moments that come with the job of raising humans. This book is story of every mother who gives up one thing to get something better--and ends up finding out what she's worth along the way.

My thoughts: While I didn't give up being a professional to be a stay at home mother, I do appreciate a lot of the thoughts in the book. Sarah is a very engaging writer as she shares her journey from board rooms meetings to play dates. While the whole book is excellent, filled with humor and keen insight, I especially appreciated the last chapter and the reminder to live in the moment, since raising children can seem like you are stuck in the same place for eons, but it really does go quickly. It's deceptive that way.
I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Better Together: Because You're not meant to Mom alone

Being a mom is hard, but it doesn’t have to be lonely.

Are you trying to do this mothering thing alone? So focused on the kids that you’re hungry for friendships of your own? Have great friendships that you want to make even better?

Jill Savage, mother of five, knows those challenges well, and she’s here to help. Presenting a compelling vision of motherhood as a group effort among friends, Better Together shows how you can:

Combat isolation and enjoy a supportive mothering community
Increase your social confidence and stop the comparison game
Deepen your friendships as you share life with others
Strengthen trust and build friendships without fear
Increase your joy and thrive as a mom

All these things are possible. Dive into this storehouse of creative ideas for how to make mothering easier, richer, and more fun than you ever imagined!

My thoughts: No one warned me that mothering would be one of the hardest, most rewarding, yet loneliest jobs that I would ever have. Even with a supportive husband (who I thank God for), it was still a bit of a rough transition. So, I was thrilled to get a hold of this book and read the wisdom that these two ladies brought to the table. They do a wonderful job of sharing from the perspective of an almost empty nester and a mother of little ones. The balance is excellent! I love the personal stories that they shared and how they sprinkle in the stories of others. I highly recommend this book as a gift for new mothers!
I received this book from Moody in exchange for my honest review.

Make Ahead Kitchen

Skip the hassle of last-minute meals and leftovers and replace them with simple, healthy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare make-ahead dishes! Your family will love these comfortable meals, new favorites, cozy drinks, and tantalizing desserts—all of them prepared ahead of time so you don’t have to worry! Enjoy simple, soul-filling foods without the chaos of preparing them at the last minute.

About the author: Annalise Thomas is a big city girl married to a small town boy. Every day is a joy and a challenge as she learns to live and love this small town life. Annalise is a foodie with a deep passion for everything edible and for sharing what she loves with others. Annalise is a wife and mom, a baker, a cook, and a blogger. She and her family live a very real life and eat as much real food as possible.

My thoughts: I adore this cookbook! It does a wonderful job of providing simple, yet fun recipes that are geared towards making life easier. I know that it came at the perfect time for me, since I am learning to juggle two little ones. So, having new recipes to try that I can make when they are napping or in bed for the evening is a huge plus. I also like that these recipes make potlucks and entertaining easier.
I love the maple glazed cinnamon rolls (especially that it makes a large batch, so there is plenty to share or freeze!) and her soups are incredible. Really though, this is just a great recipe book. I like the variety and how the recipes are different variations of favorites. Two thumbs up!
I received this recipe book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.

The Mother Letters

After his wife Amber had given birth to three boys in three years, Seth Haines saw that she needed encouragement in the day-to-day drama and details of motherhood. Secretly collecting nearly six hundred wise, honest, and sometimes hilarious letters from other mothers across the world, Seth compiled these "mother letters" as a gift for her. Amber and Seth have chosen the best of those letters--including letters from some of the most influential writers and bloggers online today--to include in a beautiful book perfect for the mother in your life.
Each mother-to-mother letter offers encouragement, advice, and vulnerable honesty about the struggles and joys of motherhood. These letters show that no matter how many times mothers feel like they've failed, they are still doing their greatest work. So for the mom who thinks she's the only one out there who just can't find time for a shower, "Mother Letters" shows her that she's part of a grand and diverse group of strong women who are saying to her, "Me too. But we can do this."

My thoughts: Mothering. One of the hardest, most rewarding jobs there is! Each child is so different, and just when I think I have something figured out, we hit a new stage or a new issue comes up. It's so easy to focus on the faults in oneself, so I found this book to be incredibly encouraging! It is just so nice to read some of the letters and realize that I am not alone! I think the one that touched me the most was about having grace with myself, though all the letters are amazing and wonderful reminders to slow down and remember that God made me the mother of my children for a reason.
With mother's day around the corner, I highly recommend giving this book as a gift to the mothers (especially mothers who still have children at home)in your life.
I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Everyday MOMents

Discover the divine purpose in your motherhood! Each inspiring chapter moves through another hour in a mother’s day, highlighting spiritually symbolic insights and describing how Christ is by your side even during the daily routine. From sun-up to bedtime, this entertaining and uplifting book will help you find the inherent divinity hidden in the every day details of motherhood.

My thoughts: This book is a wonderful, fairly short book filled with stories, scriptures, quotes, and thoughts on how God wants us to view motherhood. It's so easy to get caught up in the mundane that can go along with housework and being a mother, but this book was a much needed reminder for me that everything was created by God and that the wonderful job of being a mom is made up of all the wonderful little, day to day moments.
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.

Hope Unfolding

I get it, Momma. I totally get it.
Every day you wake up and try your very best. You love, give, and pour out your life for the ones who call you Momma. But no matter how much you offer, there are still days you feel as though you come up short. You worry, Am I loving these babies enough? Is this ever going to get easier? Why does it seem like I am the only one who cannot balance it all?

Sometimes, we just need hope (and maybe a long uninterrupted nap). We need someone to help tune our hearts to the voice of the Father and to remind us that He has not forgotten about us.
In Hope Unfolding, Becky Thompson is a friend who reminds you that you aren’t alone, and that God is still writing your story. She guides you to encounter the Truth of God’s presence that not only fuels you with strength, but also a fresh confidence. And beyond gaining faith that tomorrow could be different, you find hope and purpose where you are standing today.

My thoughts: Every mother should buy this book! Filled with grace filled truths that most, if not all of us, need to hear. I didn't realize just how hard motherhood was until my daughter was born. You have the demands of raising a young person that is constantly changing and developing, then there is the mommy guilt that can beat a soul down. Sometimes, we just need to remember the hope and joy that motherhood brings, and the grace that is extended to us (all of us). I love how she uses personal experiences to bring the book to life, since that it was makes a non fiction book for me; being able to relate to the author and what she/he is trying to communicate.
This would be an excellent book to read as a group study for mothers!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Magical Slow Cooker

Delicious home-cooked meals your family will love with almost no prep time—it's positively magical!

Grab your wand (or ladle) and get ready to whip up the healthiest, easiest-to-make food you'll ever eat. Full of wholesome ingredients and flavors you have to taste to believe, these meals are faster than the drive-thru and much cheaper too! You won't be able to resist

Raisin Bread French Toast Casserole
Country Scalloped Potatoes
Pork Carnitas
Pot Roast Dips with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Pumpkin Flan
Dozens of fantastic recipes for breakfasts, dinners, appetizers, and dessert, this cookbook is perfect for busy families.

Experience the magic of your slow cooker every day of the week!

My thoughts: I keep meaning to do more recipes in my crock pot, since it would be nice to just come home from a busy day and have dinner ready! So, I was thrilled to receive this book from Cedar Fort to review, since I was finally being motivated to get out the slow cooker and plan ahead!
While I have done some stews and soups in the crock pot, I haven't made a wide variety of things in it because I have just been kind of scared about trying to cook noodles and the like. This cookbook has a fun variety of recipes for busy women and picky eaters! I love that there are recipes for party food, breakfast, and desserts, all things I haven't tried to make in a slow cooker, but look forward to attempting.
The book is filled with fantastic recipes (my family has enjoyed several already!) that have easy to follow instructions, use basic ingredients, and taste great. Two thumbs up!
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.